Ryan Riess holds up the championship bracelet after defeating Jay Farber for the $8.4 million payout in the World Series of Poker Final Table, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A 23-year-old former Clarkston man has claimed the top prize in poker — and a friend believes there's a prime reason for it. “He has a good sense of when he is (beaten) and not,” said John Roberts, 28, of Waterford. “He's very good at reading people. You can't teach that. It's instinct.” Ryan Riess, now living in Florida, won the World Series of Poker main event late Tuesday, lasting roughly 3 1/2 hours in a dramatic no-limit Texas Hold 'em card session to push past his opponent, Jay Farber, for the $8.4 million title. The men faced off at the 1,600-seat theater at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino off the Las Vegas Strip, walking into the room like prizefighters, with showgirls looking on and a UFC announcer introducing Riess as "Riess the Beast" and Farber as "The Panda." Riess, Farber and seven other finalists beat out a field of 6,352 entrants in the no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament in July. On Monday night, Riess eliminated four competitors with a sly, steady playing style, and Farber took out the other three with more straightforward, aggressive plays. When Riess won on Tuesday, wearing a white Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions jersey, he accepted a diamond-encrusted championship bracelet.PHOTOS: Clarkston native wins $8 million prize in World Series of Poker"I want to thank my family and my friends, they're the best friends in the world," he said, his voice choked with tears. The youngest of the nine finalists, with a boyish manner and a mop of strawberry blond hair, he attributed his survival Monday to lucky cards. Riess and Roberts worked together two years ago at Card Sharks, now Bingo City, at Frembes and Dixie in Waterford. “He plays pretty aggressive,” said Roberts, who watched Riess win on TV at a friend's house. “He was always that way, in everything he did. He's very confident.” Roberts said Riess graduated from Our Lady of the Lakes High School in Waterford and went on to graduate in hospitality business at MSU. “Even (with the MSU degree), he's leaning toward casino hospitality,” he said. Mark Percival, 23, of Waterford was among the supporters watching Riess play in Las Vegas. “It was unreal,” said Percival, awaiting a flight to head back to Michigan. “When it happened, it was unbelievable.” Riess' supporters celebrated back at a suite at the Rio, said Percival, who has known Riess since middle school. “We were up late, pretty much all night celebrating,” he said. “It was almost like a high school reunion.” Percival called Riess humble. “He's going to keep doing what he loves doing — playing poker,” said Percival. “Right now he's just enjoying the moment.” His friend said Riess is focused. “He had a goal and he stuck to it,” said Percival. “He kept saying, 'When I win,' and he did it.” Joe Puertas, who owns Bingo City and Waterford's Shark Club, planned to congratulate Riess on his business' electronic signs. Puertas stayed up until 4:30 a.m. Tuesday watching Riess during the first night of televised play, and until 1 a.m. Wednesday for the next round. “He's a good kid, polite,” said Puertas. “It was exciting (to watch him.)” Sue Smith of Waterford — whose son Joey is friends with Riess — also watched the poker games on TV. “I'm very tired today,” said Smith, laughing. “It was so exciting. I knew some there in crowd with Ryan. I kept hearing Waterford and Clarkston on TV. It was so crazy.” During the final moments of the game, Smith said the only card that would have caused Riess to lose was a 5. “It was a 4, so it was close,” she said. Carl Uberti, principal of Our Lady of the Lakes High School on Dixie Highway in Waterford, also sounded tired from staying up until 12:45 a.m. Wednesday to watch Riess play on ESPN. “It was pretty exciting,” said Uberti. He said Riess is a lifelong “Laker,” having attended the school from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating in 2008. “He was good at math and had a lot of friends,” said Uberti. “He didn't participate in extracurricular activities. I believe he was busy honing his card skills.” Uberti saw several Lakers in the large TV audience, and mentioned Riess' Beast nickname. “I never thought of him as a beast when he was at school,” he said. Uberti expected to display Riess' win on the school's electronic sign. “We announced it to the school,” said Uberti. “It's really something seeing one of own on national TV.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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About the Author

Carol Hopkins covers Waterford and White Lake townships. She has a master's degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, and she worked as a senior editor for Detroit Monthly magazine and as a reporter for The Oakland Press since 2003. Reach the author at carol.hopkins@oakpress.com
or follow Carol on Twitter: @OPCarolHopkins.